Sean Hannity Net Worth

Sean Hannity Net Worth History

Sean Hannity worked as a general contractor before taking his first job as a radio host in 1989. In 1996 he was hired as the “conservative” contrast to “liberal” Alan Colmes for the “Hannity & Colmes” Fox News show. In 2008, Colmes left and the show was renamed, and restructured, as “Hannity.” Hannity also hosts a weekly show called “Hannity’s America,” a radio talk show, and a series of “Freedom Concerts.” Forbes reports his annual salary for his broadcasting jobs as $29 million a year. He has also written three books, and maintains an active web site at hannity.com.

About Sean Hannity

Sean Hannity described his first radio show as “terrible.” While the U.C. Santa Barbara radio station, KCSB, had hired him as a newcomer to broadcasting and probably had other reasons to reconsider his employment, the final straw was his telling a woman who called in to a book discussion hosted by him, “I feel sorry for your child.” (The book was about AIDS; the caller had identified herself as a lesbian. By 1989 it was generally known that lesbians were at a lower risk for AIDS than conventionally married wives of cheating husbands.) Hannity’s dismissal was protested by the American Civil Liberties Union, but he decided to market himself to other radio stations, using his notoriety as a selling point, rather than try to continue working for KCSB.

While Hannity’s work for WVNN in Alabama and WGST in Georgia was not broadcast nationally, Roger Ailes recognized the hawkish, right-wing Irish Catholic’s potential as a foil for Alan Colmes. “Hannity & Colmes” was successful enough to make both co-hosts’ names familiar, boosting the sales of three books by Hannity and two by Colmes.

Critics complained that, although the show was set up in a “point-counterpoint” format, Hannity was often able to use that format to make himself look like the winner of his mini-debates with Colmes. In fact Colmes, who started out as a comedian, published his first book later, published fewer books, and has sold fewer copies of his books. (All three of Hannity’s books were best sellers.) Colmes described his role on the show in terms of “having fun.” While Hannity’s more intense, earnest manner could be considered grim or even menacing (especially by readers opposed to the war Hannity supported in Deliver Us From Evil), apparently some viewers also saw him as the heavyweight news analyst.

Hannity has won two Marconi Awards, a Freedom of Speech Award, and a National Talk Show Host Award. While he is not known for relying on comedy to enliven his shows, as some other talk show hosts do, his “book club” picks have included children’s books and dog stories.

Hannity shows a lighter side in the Freedom Concerts and “song club” album collection. Possibly reflecting his years in the South, he has promoted groups and songs that can be classified as modern country (as distinct from classic country). At the top of his “song club” list is a Charlie Daniels Band album featuring “The Devil Went Down to Georgia”…a frankly silly song in which, nevertheless, the all-American home boy comes out ahead.